Mail-box bracket



Patented ar. id, 12

TOLLAK TOLLEFSON, F BONILLA, SOUTH DAKOTA.

MAIL-BOX BRACKET.

Application filed November 20, 1922. .Serial'No. 601,966.

'box. As is well known, mail boxes are now used in the rural districts in connection with the rural free delivery mail service and such boxes are usually secured to posts or other members disposed along the side of the road. The mail carrier uses some sort of vehicle in delivering the mail and the boxes. are usually disposed so that they can reach the same without leaving such vehicle. Most roads have a decided downward inclination at the side thereof and are often provided with a ditch along such side. When the roads are wet or slippery it frequently happens that the mail carriers vehicle slides down the inclined side of the road and becomes jammed against or otherwise caught on the mail box post and support, thus causing delay and difficulty. It also frequently happens that teams, hayracks, etc., in passing get suficiently on the side of the road to run against the mail boxes which are thus often torn loose or damaged. I

It is an object of this invention to support a mail box in such a manner that it will normally occupy a position extending outward toward the road but can be swung. to one side or to the other after which it will return to its normal position automatically.

It is a further object of the invention to i provide such a supporting means-comprisspaced arms at its inner end which are jour naled on a pintle which inclines outwardly of its supporting means toward its upper end.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same W parts throughout the different views, and in which, I

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the mail box support showing the box and supporting post in connection therewith; and to Fig. 2. is a view in front elevation of said parts showing the box in lateral positions in dotted lines.

Referring to the drawings, a diagrammatic cross section of the road is shown 7 at land at one side thereof, a supporting post 2. A supporting bracket is provided and has a substantially vertical side 3 secured to post 2 by bolts or suitable screws and said bracket has arms 42 and 5 extendto have a mail box 7 secured thereto at its outer end and said bracket has spaced arms 8 and 9 extending at its inner side having the inner ends bent at a right angle so as to be disposed upon the arms 4 and 5. A headed and nutted pintle bolt memas her 10 extends through the arms 8 and 9 and arms 4 and 5 so that, the arms 8 and 9 are journaled thereon.

The supporting bracket securedto the post and the swingingbracket carrying the w mail box are conveniently and preferably made from fiat bars which can also be provided with the necessary attaching and assembling holes.

Owing to the pintle member 10 being inclined outwardly to the vertical toward its upper end, when the swingin arm 6 is swung laterally thereon it will e elevated or moved to a tilted position, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 and will swing 1% gravity back again to the position shown m Fig. 1. and partially shown in full lines in Fig. 2. By so mounting the mail box the same will extend sufiiciently outward over the road so that the mail man will not have to drive down along the inclined side of the road or into the ditch in order to reach the same. Furthermore, if any vehicles get sufficiently ofi the road to strike the mail box the same will simply be swung no laterally and allow the passage of such vehicle atter which the box will again swing to its normal outwardly extending position.

From the above description is it seen that apfilicant has provided an extremely simple an efiicient mail box support. The device will have greater utility in supporting the mail boxes now used in rural communities.

It will, of coure, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details and operation of the device without departing from the scope of applicant invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What'is claimed is:

1. A mail box structure comprising a support, a bracket rigidly secured thereto in a vertical position having outwardly projecting vertically spaced arms, the upper arm being longer than the lower arm, a

rotatable spindle journaled in said arms and inclining outwardly from its bottom to its top, a swinging bracket having spaced arms journaled on said s indle and normally projecting outward substantial alinement with said first mentioned bracket and arms but movable laterally into a higher plane at either side of said normal position about the axis of said spindle. 2. The structure set forth in claim 1, the arms of said swinging bracket resting on the arms of said filst mentioned bracket. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' TOLLAK 'TOLLEFSON.

rom said, support in 

